Flotation device for vessels



Dec. 27, 1960 E. A. ELIJAH FLOTATION DEVICE FDR VESSELS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 28, 1958 E ocu-a A. Eu

ATYORN EYS Dec. 27, 1960 E. A. ELIJAH 2,966,131

FLOTATION DEVICE FOR VESSELS Filed Mai'ch 28, 1958 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig-3 I IIIIIIIIIII K": I 4 VIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII INVENTOR. ENQCH A. ELKIAH AT ORNEYS Dec. 27, 1960 E. A. ELIJAH FLOTATION DEVICE FOR VESSELS Fiied March 28, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig-G:

INVEN TOR.

235,131 Patented Dec. 27, 1960 FLOTATION DEVICE FOR VESSELS Enoch A. Elijah, 36 Saify Bldg. pp., Gandhi Gardens, Karachi, Pakistan Filed Mar. 28, 1958, Ser. No. 724,563

2 Claims. (Cl. 114-68) The present invention relates to a flotation device for a vessel.

An object of the present invention is to provide a flotation device for a vessel which has a dual function, namely, displacing water from a hold of a vessel when the hold is flooded, and sealing off the hatch opening from such hold to prevent water from entering an adjoining hold.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a flotation device for a vessel which may be economically installed adjacent the opening into any hold in a vessel, one which may be extended across a hatch opening with facility and dispatch, and one which when not in use occupies a minimum of space.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view partially in section of the forward portion of a cargo vessel, showing the device of the present invention installed therein;

Figure 2 is a view partially in section showing the device of the present invention installed in the hold of such a vessel as is shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an isometric view of a portion of the underside of a deck of a vessel adjacent to a hatch opening, the device of the present invention being shown in folded stowed condition adjacent such opening;

Figure 4 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing the device of the present invention installed upon a special support means; and

Figure 6 is a side view of the assembly shown in Figure 5.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the device of the present invention comprises a deflated bag it; arranged in a stacked folded condition and positioned, as shown in Figure 3, in the hold of a vessel contiguous to a hatch opening. Preferably, the bag 1% is stowed in a box 12 having one open face 14 and having its upper end fixedly supported on the underside of the deck 16 of the vessel, a portion of such vessel being shown in Figure l and designated by the reference numeral 18.

The bag is manually shiftable from the folded condition, shown in Figures 3 and 4, to a stretched position extending over and bridging the opening 2! below the hatch. Conduit means is provided connecting one end of the bag 10 to a source of gas under pressure for in dating the bag It) so as to sealingly close, as in Figure 2, the opening below the hatch after the bag 16 has been shifted from the folded stacked nested position within the box 12 to the stretched position extending over and bridging the opening below the hatch. Specifically, this conduit means includes a flexible conduit 22 secured by one end and connected in communication with the interior of the bag 10 and having its other end fixedly secured to and connected in communication with one end of an elbow conduit 24 mounted in the wall of the box 12 opposite the open face 14. A pipe 26 connects the other end of the elbow conduit 24 to a compressor located above the water line on the vessel 18, the compressor being shown in Figure 1 and designated by the reference numeral 28.

The valve 30 constitutes control valve means in the conduit means for controlling or regulating the admission of gas under pressure into the bag 19.

A check valve 32 is positioned within the conduit 22 contiguous to the bag 10 and operates to maintain the bag 19 in the inflated condition after the bag has been inflated by preventing the escape of the gas back through the conduit 22 and the elbow conduit 24 to the conduit 26.

Preferably, the underface of the deck 16 adjacent the opening 20 of the hatch is provided with a resilient coating such as a rubber sheet indicated by the reference numeral 34 in Figure 4. All projections are preferably removed from the perimeter of the opening to the hatch in order that the bag 10 be protected against puncturing by such a projection when inflated.

in use, when the bag 10 is withdrawn from the box 12 for use in closing the opening 2d, it may be supported upon the upper tier of the stacked cargo 36 which is contained within the hold of the vessel, as shown in Figure 2, or it may be supported against the opening 20 by means of an auxiliary support designated generally by the reference numeral 38 in Figures 5 and 6.

The support 38 consists in a plurality of hooks 40 depending from the deck under surface and to which are attached depending links 42 having eye formations at either end, the lower end eye formation supporting a hollow hanger 44 through which extends the end portion of a timer 46. The timbers 46 are arranged in side by side spaced relation below the portion of the deck surrounding the opening 20 in the hatch and the bag 10 is supported upon the timbers 46, as shown in Figures 5 and 6.

Each hatch is covered by a hatch cover 48 in the conventional manner which frequently is not weatheror water-tight. By positioning the bag it of the present invention below the opening and in sealing engagement with the portion of the under surface of the deck surrounding the opening, the opening is sealed against the transmission of water upwardly should the hold in which the bag 10 is employed become flooded due to rupture of the sides of the vessel or for other reasons. The pressure of the water upwardly adds to the sealing pressure of the bag 10 against the perimeter of the opening and effectively prevents the transmission of water through the opening into the adjacent hold. Additionally, each bag 10 adds to the buoyancy of the vessel in which the bags are employed and, when inflated within a hold which is flooded, displace the water within the hold to thereby lighten the Vessel.

What is claimed is:

1. In a vessel having a plurality of holds each having a deck with an opening closed by a hatch, the improvement consisting in a box fixed to said deck and having one open face positioned in each hold contiguous to the adjacent hatch, a deflated bag arranged in a stacked folded condition positioned in each box, said bag being shiftable out of the open face of said box frame from the folded position to a stretched position, extending over and bridging the opening below the hatch, a source of gas under pressure, conduit means connecting said source to said bag for inflating said bag so as to seaiingly enclose the opening below the hatch when the deflated bag has been shifted to the position extending over and bridging the opening below the hatch, and a check valve in said conduit contiguous to said bag to maintain said bag in in flated condition after the bag has been inflated.

2. In a vessel having a plurality of holds each having a deck with an opening closed by a hatch, the improvement consisting in a box fixed to said deck and having one open face positioned in each hold contiguous to the adjacent hatch, a deflated bag arranged in a stacked folded condition positioned in each box, said 'bag being shiftable out of the open face of said box frame'from the folded position to a stretched position extending over and bridging the opening below the hatch, a source of gas under pressure, conduit means connecting said source to said bag for inflating said bag so as to sealingly close the opening below the hatch When the deflated bag has been shifted to the position extending over and bridging the opening below the hatch, control valve means in said conduit means for regulating the admission of gas under pressure into said deflated bag, a check valve in said conduit contiguous to said bag to maintain said bag in inflated condition after the bag has been inflated.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 119,742 Collier Oct. 10, 1871 1,228,914 Hayford June 5, 1917 1,293,918 Priolo -Feb. 11, 1919 1,301,204 Warner et a1 Apr. 22, 1919 2,360,276 Redmond Oct. 10, 1944 

